Kinetics of thermal destruction of Salmonella in ground chicken containing trans-cinnamaldehyde and carvacrol

We investigated the heat resistance of an eight-strain cocktail of Salmonella serovars in chicken supplemented with trans cinnamaldehyde (0 to 1.0%, wt/wt) and carvacrol (0 to 1.0%, wt/wt). Inoculated meat was packaged in bags that were completely immersed in a circulating water bath and held at 55 to 71°C for predetermined lengths of time. The recovery medium was tryptic soy agar supplemented with 0.6% yeast extract and 1% sodium pyruvate. D-values in chicken, determined by linear regression, were 17.45, 2.89, 0.75, and 0.29 min at 55, 60, 65, and 71°C, respectively (z = 9.02°C). Using a survival model for nonlinear survival curves, D-values in chicken ranged from 13.52 min (D(1), major population) and 51.99 min (D(2), heat-resistant subpopulation) at 55°C to 0.15 min (D(1)) and 1.49 min (D(2)) at 71°C. When the Salmonella cocktail was in chicken supplemented with 0.1 to 1.0% trans-cinnamaldehyde or carvacrol, D-values calculated by both approaches were consistently less at all temperatures. This observation suggests that the addition of natural antimicrobials to chicken renders Salmonella serovars more sensitive to the lethal effect of heat. Thermal death times from this study will be beneficial to the food industry in designing hazard analysis and critical control point plans to effectively eliminate Salmonella contamination in chicken products used in this study.     

The ability of zinc to inhibit the sporulation and viability of Clostridium sporogenes and growth of other bacteria

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of zinc on the sporulation and viability of Clostridium sporogenes and on the growth of other bacteria. When 0.5% ZnCl₂ was added to a sporulation medium, it completely inhibited C. sporogenes (PA 3679) sporulation for up to 3 weeks. At concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0%, ZnCl₂ not only completely inactivated the vegetative cell viability (>7.0 Log reduction) but also significantly reduced the spore viability (<2.1 Log reduction) of C. sporogenes. Taken together, it was concluded that zinc blocks C. sporogenes sporulation by damaging (or killing) vegetative cells and probably by interfering with the biosynthesis of spore components. In addition to the inhibitory effect on the sporulation and viability of C. sporogenes, ZnCl₂ was found to have a broad antimicrobial spectrum against all Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative spoilage and pathogenic bacteria tested. The minimal inhibitory concentration for inhibiting the bacteria ranged between 3.7 and 7.4 mm . Therefore, we expect that this compound or a combination thereof has a potential as a surface‐cleaning agent or disinfectant.     

Effects of leading-wall blowing/suction on mixed convective phenomena in a radially rotating multiple-pass duct

A numerical study is performed to examine the transpiration-wall effect on mixed convection in a radially rotating multi-pass square duct connected with 180° sharp returns. Uniform injection or suction is applied to the leading wall of the rotating duct. Finite-difference method is adopted to solve three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations and the energy equation. Periodic conditions are used between the entrance and exit of a typical two-pass duct for the closure of the elliptic problem. As predicted, results show that the radial distance from the rotational axis to initiation of flow reversal in the radial-outward duct (ROD) decreases with increasing rotational buoyancy. The appearance of flow reversal is delayed by the leading-wall blowing but is quickened by the leading-wall suction. The wall-blowing rate for avoiding the flow reversal in the ROD increases with increasing rotational buoyancy. Moreover, the axial distribution of peripherally averaged Nusselt number is closely related to the development of cross-flow intensity. They are increased/decreased with increasing the wall blowing/suction rate in the ROD but are essentially unaltered in the radial-inward duct (RID).     

A novel crosslinking strategy for preparing poly(vinyl alcohol)-based proton-conducting membranes with high sulfonation

This study synthesizes poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based polymer electrolyte membranes by a two-step crosslinking process involving esterization and acetal ring formation reactions. This work also uses sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) as the first crosslinking agent to form an inter-crosslinked structure and a promoting sulfonating agent. Glutaraldehyde (GA) as the second crosslinking agent, reacts with the spare OH group of PVA and forms, not only a dense structure at the outer membrane surface, but also a hydrophobic protective layer. Compared with membranes prepared by a traditional one-step crosslinking process, membranes prepared by the two-step crosslinking process exhibit excellent dissolution resistance in water. The membranes become water-insoluble even at a molar ratio of SO₃H/PVA-OH as high as 0.45. Moreover, the synthesized membranes also exhibit high proton conductivities and high methanol permeability resistance. The current study measures highest proton conductivity of 5.3 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ at room temperature from one of the synthesized membranes, higher than that of the Nafion^® membrane. Methanol permeability of the synthesized membranes measures about 1 × 10⁻⁷ cm² S⁻¹, about one order of magnitude lower than that of the Nafion^® membrane.     

Analysis on the effect of operating conditions on electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to formic acid

Electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to HCOOH was performed on a Sn electrode using a proton exchange membrane-embedded electrolysis cell. The effects of reaction conditions such as catholyte and anolyte types, reduction potential, catholyte pH, and reaction temperature on the amount of HCOOH and its faradaic efficiency were investigated. Four different electrolytes (KOH, KHCO₃, KCl, KHSO₄) were chosen as the candidate catholyte and anolyte; the most suitable electrolyte was chosen by monitoring the amount of HCOOH and faradaic efficiency. The effect of the pH of the selected catholyte on the conversion of CO₂ to HCOOH was also investigated. In addition, the reaction temperature was varied and its effect was studied. From the observations made, we determined the optimal reaction conditions for the production of HCOOH via the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ by a systematic approach.     

Electrochemical performance of Ba0.5Sr0.5CoxFe1−xO3−δ (x = 0.2–0.8) cathode on a ScSZ electrolyte for intermediate temperature SOFCs

Intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathode materials (Ba, Sr)Co_xFe_1−xO_3−δ [x = 0.2–0.8] (BSCF), were synthesized by a glycine-nitrate process (GNP) using Ba(NO₃)₂, Sr(NO₃)₂, Co(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, and Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O as starting materials and glycine as an oxidizer and fuel. Electrolyte-supported symmetric BSCF/GDC/ScSZ/GDC/BSCF cells consisting of porous BSCF electrodes, a GDC buffer layer, and a ScSZ electrolyte were fabricated by a screen printing technique, and the electrochemical performance of the BSCF cathode was investigated at intermediate temperatures (500–700 °C) using AC impedance spectroscopy. Crystallization behavior was found to depend on the pH value of the precursor solution. A highly acidic precursor solution increased the single phase perovskite formation temperature. In the case of using a precursor solution with pH 2, a single perovskite phase was obtained at 1000 °C. The thermal expansion coefficient of BSCF was gradually increased from 24 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ for BSCF (x = 0.2) to 31 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ (400–1000 °C) for BSCF (x = 0.8), which resulted in peeling-off of the cathode from the GDC/ScSZ electrolyte. Only the BSCF (x = 0.2) cathode showed good adhesion to the GDC/ScSZ electrolyte and low polarization resistance. The area specific resistance (ASR) of the BSCF (x = 0.2) cathode was 0.183 Ω cm² at 600 °C. The ASR of other BSCF (x = 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) cathodes, however, was much higher than that of BSCF (x = 0.2).     

Optimal Sequencing of Items In a Consecutive-2-out-of-n System

A consecutive-2-out-of-n system is an array of n items in a line such that the system fails if and only if two consecutive items both fail. Suppose that the items have different probabilities of failing and that the system can be arranged into any sequence of the n items. Which sequence minimizes the probability of a system failure? It has been conjectured that the best sequence is one which essentially interlaces the more reliable items with the less reliable items. This paper partially supports the conjecture by proving it for the case that: a) the n probabilities take on only two distinct values, and b) the n probabilities take on only three distinct values, including either a zero or a one.     

Bayes Estimation of Reliability for Special k-out-of-m:G Systems

Component lifetimes of a k-out-of-m: G system are s-independent and exponentially distributed. The Bayes-quadratic-loss estimator of reliability for the system is obtained using a conjugate (1-parameter case) or a noninformative (2-parameter case) prior when data are type-II censored. A simple approximation formula for the mean square error of the Bayes estimator is proposed. Based on the mean square-error criterion, the performance of the Bayes estimator under a noninformative prior is compared with that of the maximum likelihood and minimum variance s-unbiased estimators.     

Wear performance and activity reduction effect of Co-free valves in PWR environment

Co-based hardfacing alloys exposed to PWR primary coolant may be replaced with Co-free alloys to lower occupational radiation exposure. To evaluate the viability of Co-free hardfacing alloys, we conducted hot-water tests for gate valves hardfaced with NOREM™ 02 (Fe-base), Deloro™ 50 (Ni-base), and Stellite™ 6 (Co-base). Using a high flow test loop, on–off cycling tests were conducted in 280 °C water. It was observed that NOREM 02 exhibited galling and excessive leak after 1000 cycle test whereas no leakage was developed with Deloro 50 after 2000 cycles. To estimate the activity reduction effect of Co-free hardfacing alloys, an existing activity transport model was modified. It is found that the main contributor of Co activity buildup is the corrosion of steam generator (SG) tubing. The Korean Next Generation Reactor (APR-1400) tubed with alloy 690 having a reduced cobalt impurity allowance is expected to have 73% lower Co activity on SG surface compared with the case of alloy 600 tubing. The complete replacement of Stellite 6 with Co-free hardfacing alloys is expected to cut additional 5% of activity which may be too small to justify the risk of galling and leakage development as revealed by the hot-water test.     

Micro thermoelectric cooler: Planar multistage

A suspended, planar multistage micro thermoelectric (TE) cooler is designed using thermal network model to cool MEMS devices. Though the planar (two-dimensional) design is compatible with MEMS fabrication, its cooling performance is reduced compared to that of a pyramid (three-dimensional) design, due to a mechanically indispensable thin dielectric substrate (SiO₂) and technical limit on TE film thickness. We optimize the planar, six-stage TE cooler for maximum cooling, and predict ΔT_max = 51 K with power consumption of 68 mW using undoped, patterned 4–10 μm thick co-evaporated Bi₂Te₃ and Sb₂Te₃ films. Improvement steps of the planar design for achieving cooling performance of the ideal pyramid design are discussed. The predicted performance of a fabricated prototype is compared with experimental results with good agreements.